The type was eventually replaced in CHF and AAC by the Lynx Mk9 and, later, by the Wildcat AH1.

Lynx AH7s were fitted with a suite of defensive countermeasures consisting of:

AN/ALQ-144 Infrared Jammer

BAE AWARE-3 ARI 23491 radar warning receiver

Sky Guardian mk15 electronic warfare system

M130 chaff/flare dispenser.

Other avionics included :

AN/ARN-118 Tactical Air Navigation system (TACAN)

BAE Systems mk 34 automatic flight control system

BAE Systems automatic stabilizer

Racal Doppler 91

‘Elmer’ secure speech radio

Mode ‘C’ identification friend or foe system

Note: the AH7s flown by 657 AAC had non-standard communications fitments, details of which remain classified.

In the attack configuration, the Lynx AH7 was armed with 8 FITOW (further Improved TOW) wire-guided missiles on 2x4-tube racks on hardpoints attached to the fuselage. The FITOW is a wire-guided anti-tank missile with a dual warhead and a top-down attack capability. The Raytheon TOW sight can also be used for reconnaissance operations.

When configured for the utlity role, the Lynx AH7 could carry up to 6 fully-equipped troops. In conventional warfare scenarious, the Lynx was often used to transport small anti-tank missile teams around the battlefield. A GPMG door gun was often mounted in one of the helicopter's cabin doors. 2 could be fitted, although doing so left little room for carrying stores or troops. 657 Sqn AAC Lynx helicopters were typically armed with 7.62mm Miniguns.

The Lynx AH7 could carry 1350kg of underslung external stores.

2 Lynx helicopters could be transported in the hold of 1 C-130J Hercules. In the build up to Operation Barras, in which 657 AAC participated, 2 of their Lynx AH7 helicopters were airlifted into Sierra Leone by a RAF Hercules.

Lynx AH7 Specifications

Crew

3 (pilot, co-pilot & door gunner)

Cargo capacity

9 troops

Maximum speed

160 knots

Range

280 nm

Max takeoff weight

4875 kg

Armament

1x 7.62mm GPMG
or 1x 7.62mm Minigun
or 8x TOW anti-tank missiles

Royal Marines Commandos prepare to abseil down from a Lynx of the Commando Helicopter Force.